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I am interested in the alternative reality where the majority of people drive into Manhattan.

Back in the 80's, I had a job consulting for the DOD where we looked at the housing market for several of the bases in the NY metropolitan area. "Market" was defined as how far you (meaning me) could drive in an hour. There were a couple of days where the housing market could be measured in dozens of feet, and one where the entire market fit inside a toll booth on the NJT.

Never expected anyone to change their mind because of what I said (second time I said that). Also harden up. No one has been called a name (yet but judging from your other threads you people are famous for that). And I don't care what you think of me and certainly have no intention of following your tasking orders to shut up (stop reading what I write if you cannot handle it). My purpose here is in part to learn more about how cycling has changed since I started 50 years ago. We never had people like you back then. Some of you seem like you are using cycling issues as some sort of anger displacement, which admittedly I find fascinating. The only downside is that I see some of you acting out on the street and trail giving cycling a really bad name. When I mention at work that I have been a cyclist for many decades, the reaction they have is not good until I explain that I am not the usual douche bag, running red lights, yelling at people (sometimes on a whim), and giving people the bird at the drop of a hat.

Not all of you are like that but I do expect the snowflakes that are like that will take offense. (FYI--That's name calling if you are like that of course just so we are clear.) To recap, I'm not trying to be part of your little online clique of keyboard warriors and bullies. I came here to learn and I'm sure this new stimulus will teach me more about you with your next reply.

My dream is to have a network of bike trails throughout the entire region that keep me away from cars

Have you ever actually worked on trail advocacy? Lobbied for them? Helped come up with alternatives? Dealt with the actual conflicts in finding land for them (a one mile or so trail in Arlington was delayed for years in a battle over some trees, for example) Dealt with funding problems? (the money has to come from tight local budgets, or competitive grants programs). Try doing that instead of "stirring the pot". I can guarantee you that those of us who actually do bike-ped advocacy (and that includes myself, dasgeh, Steve O and W&W - and I think Mstone at some point?) have already encountered all these issues and know far more about them than you have demonstrated in your comments on this thread. I would refrain from responding, but am concerned some new person to these forums might come here and be misinformed (there are enough places for that, this forum should be a place where people can actually LEARN about these issues)

If you are interested only in trails (since you seem to have disdain for instreet bike lanes and other things we advocate for) I would suggest working with these people http://capitaltrailscoalition.org/

I am sure they can find something for you to do.

Then, better informed, you can come back and share your earned wisdom.

To recap, I'm not trying to be part of your little online clique of keyboard warriors and bullies. I came here to learn and I'm sure this new stimulus will teach me more about you with your next reply.

The people you are calling keyboard warriors are the people in the trenches who expend their own time and energy on bike advocacy in the real world. Who go to meetings, talk to politicians, lead rides, teach children to ride, correct maps, research alternatives, etc. Often tedious, thankless work. Keep that in mind.

And recall the proverb, that you learn more by listening than by speaking.

I would just add that we *could* increase the amount of space we dedicate to transportation, but doing so would be expensive. We'd have to tear down homes, destroy parks, impact rivers, tunnel underground (which, ps, is not at all a new idea, even with Elon's name behind it), or build above, all of which has HUGE costs. It's not exactly zero sum -- we could raise taxes and spend tons of money -- but it's a lot like zero sum. And when location is important (i.e. curb space right in front of a school), then yes, it is exactly zero sum.

For the hard problems location definitely matters: it's the last mile in the places people want to go. If you tear down, etc., you destroy the thing people are trying to get to so it's not a realistic option. Designating new ROW mostly only works in greenfield development, and it's become painfully clear to anyone paying attention that the costs of continuing down that road (pardon the pun) are literally unbearable. (Cheap up-front, painfully expensive in terms of ongoing maintenance--and doesn't actually fix the problem of how to get people to where they wanted to go in the first place, just distracts them for a while with something shiny.)

No, but if I did I would not feel some sort of special entitlement. I would take views different than mine with serious interest. Also I am not interested in only trails. Perhaps re-read what I wrote.

As I said, there is nothing you have said that I have not heard before (and I am sure the others you are responding to have heard it all before as well), and I am familiar with all the reasons its not a realistic answer. You however are not. And I do think I (like any other human being) am entitled to be addressed and questioned with respect. Not "stirring the pot". If you read the policy discussions on this forum you will see I have had disagreements with dasgeh and with MStone, and they with each other - but we address each other with respect, and try to bring information forward. And we all know what we don't know.

the usual douche bag, running red lights, yelling at people (sometimes on a whim), and giving people the bird at the drop of a hat.

"The usual douche bag" ??

My experience is that those are an extreme minority, just like the maniacs driving 90 on the beltway. They exist, but they do not represent any "usual" group.
I intersect with dozens if not scores of people riding bikes every day, and I struggle to recall the last time I saw one flip the bird. The vast, vast majority of people, regardless of mode, are not douche bags. I hope that you do not describe yourself that way when you talk at work: "I am not one of those usual douche bags...." because you would then be implying that the majority of us reading this now are. Or if you want to exclude the people on this forum, then the majority of people at Bike to Work Day or something. "Usual" implies "most." And even if you don't use that language with your co-workers, you clearly have internalized it, since you used it here.